


Just a Little Bit

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, M/M, Tumblr Prompt, and harry falls asleep on louis' shoulder, it's probably just fluff, they meet on the tube
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-29
Updated: 2015-11-29
Packaged: 2018-05-03 22:34:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5309543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry and Louis are strangers who take the tube everyday together. One day Harry falls asleep on Louis.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just a Little Bit

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by [ this ](http://ferntattoos.tumblr.com/post/134119141878/au-where-harry-and-louis-are-strangers-but-they) tumblr post. I don't know if it's going to be a one shot or not, let me know what you think and if you want more.  
> I hope you like it. x

The first time Louis sees Harry is on a Tuesday in late August. The clack of his boots as he rushes to get on the platform before the doors close is just barely audible over the low hum of the engine and the chitter from the other tens of people squished into the tiny cart. There’s a disgruntled noise of complaint that transfers through the crowd as he skids through the door, his over the shoulder bag bumping into the other inhabitants.  
  
Louis goes to turn his eyes away, only to do a double take when he sees the man. He’s tall, towering above almost everyone else in the compartment, with long curly hair that cascades to his shoulders that looks as if it’s straight from a L’Oreal commercial. His skin is perfectly tanned and Louis automatically zeroes in on his fully plump pink lips before traveling up the rest of his face to land on a pair of equally startling emerald eyes that are staring right at him.  
  
Louis turns away immediately, shuffling and pulling at the collar of his shirt to try to keep the threatening blush from approaching his cheeks. Louis doesn't follow most rules, nor does he take them as seriously as others, but tube conduct was important to him and staring at someone for a prolonged amount of time was one of the top violations of tube conduct.  
  
~~~  
  
Louis is almost a thousand percent sure no one has ever taught Harry, which is what Louis had assumed the curly haired prince’s name was after seeing it scrawled across the top of his notebooks, the rules of tube conduct. He always stares, especially at Louis, unabashedly and unblinking. It never lasts for too long, but it always lasts a few seconds too long.  
  
He’s messy, too. It’s always an accident, Louis’s sure. He’ll have out too many notebooks and papers if he’s got a seat, rushing to finish or work on something before he reaches wherever he’s going. The tube’s jerky though, and more often than not, one of the papers will slip from Harry’s grasp. Louis knows he should never catch the paper, knows he should just let it fall so that Harry’ll finally learn to stop bringing out so many things while he’s traveling. Louis’s always been good at doing things he knows he shouldn’t, which is why he’s grown accustomed to grabbing Harry’s supplies anytime they shift out from underneath his long slim hands.  
  
Harry stops thanking him for his help after the fifth time, replacing his deep voice that reverberates in Louis’ brain for hours after with a quick squeeze to Louis' hand that lingers for a few seconds too long as he shifts the supplies back into his lap. Louis’ sure that move alone violates at least three rules in tube conduct, but that doesn’t stop him from scooping up the rogue glitter gel pen the next time it goes rogue.  
  
Louis supposes Harry isn’t the only one at fault here. After all, he is the one who keeps his feet splayed out in the morning or a seat in his bag in the late afternoon until Harry arrives so that he’ll be able to sit down next to him. It’s stupid, really. It’s even more stupid on the days where they’re left standing and Louis loses his balance and grabs onto Harry’s waist to keep from falling and if his hand lingers for a few too many seconds, no one else has to know of that violation to the tube conduct as long as Harry’s ok with it.  
  
However, none of those little ticks had meant anything. They were still just strangers on the tube, who sometimes helped one another, that was it.  
  
~~  
  
Louis can immediately tell that Harry is exhausted when he get’s on the tube. It’s early December and the city is lightly coated in fresh snow. Little clumps stick to the top of Harry’s curly hair, but he pays them no mind as he slumps into the seat beside Louis, his coffee tilting at a dangerous angle as he does so. Louis fixes it, barely registering it even after it’s over, his thoughts stuck on what he needs to have prepared for his class tomorrow.  
  
He does, however, register when Harry’s head slumps down onto his shoulder. He freezes. Glancing down somewhat frantically, because this is a far bigger violation of tube conduct than simply staring for too long. Louis shifts, eyes not moving away from Harry’s relaxed form, the worried and worn expression from earlier is gone from his face. It’s only then that Louis notices the heavy bags under his eyes. He lets out a sigh and leans back into his seat, angling his body so that Harry’ll fit more comfortably in the crook of his shoulder, his arm automatically slithering to fit around Harry’s broad shoulders as he scoops the coffee cup up out of Harry’s loose grip.  
  
It’s not a big deal, if anything Louis finds it easier to think with Harry pressed against him, the warmth emitting from his body combats the cold and makes it so that Louis can keep his thoughts in line. Harry’s presence beneath his arm is oddly comforting in general, not that Louis concentrates on that thought for too long. He waits until they’re almost at Harry’s stop before shaking him awake, his hands lightly brushing against Harry’s soft curls as he grips his shoulder lightly, careful not to put too much pressure into his grip.  
  
Harry blinks tiredly for a minute, his eyes glassy and muddled. He shoots up at the sight of Louis, his cheeks turning the most adorable shade of pink as his eyes swim around the room before settling on Louis.  
  
“Sorry,” he mumbles, his deep voice almost swallowing the word as he shuffles in his seat.  
  
Don’t worry about it, mate. Louis wants to tell him. He wants to act casual about it, like it’s not a big deal because it won’t happen again.  
  
Instead he says, “S’alright,” his voice just a little bit too soft, “Look like you needed it.”  
  
His arm is still slung across Harry’s shoulder and he presses his thumb against the back of his neck and rubs it a circle. Harry leans into his touch for just a moment before Louis pulls his arm away. Harry nods his head, his eyebrows creasing a bit as the train pulls to a stop as he studies Louis.  
  
“See you tomorrow,” he says finally as he stands, his cheeks still pink.  
  
Louis nods his head, a smile tugging at his lips unbidden as he watches Harry leave, his mind already wandering to tomorrow.


End file.
